Dust
by Schiza-the-Bad-Saiyan-Lover
Summary: AU Postapocalyptic. The whole world has changed after The War. It's hard to describe. I think it's quite original.. Check it. Rated M cause it's getting 'better' in the later chapters. BV and... You'll see
1. Chapter 1: Dreams

„**Dust" **

_By: Schizulka. _

Chapter 1. 

Sand. Sand was everywhere, dry and burning, and the sun, hot and scorching. Was it Hell? No, it was something much worse... It was a desert. The last place anyone would ever choose to live in, but for some people there was no other way if they wanted to survive another day. But one question still came back in their minds: why?

It all started with a war. The biggest war this world had ever seen, between East and West Area's.

Today nobody could really tell why it all started in the first place, but it happened and they had to move on and try to outlive this hard situation they were put in by fate.

People were evacuated to South Area's Island's, but most of them occurred on North Area. They were given a second chance, they could make it and start a new life. New life in hell.

There wasn't much source where people could get water, not much places where they could raise animals or nurse plants for food. Just few oasis, and the seaside's of course.

They mostly lived in houses made by the biggest corporation on Earth - Capsule Corp., but there were still people who lived in camps, in military tents or caves, near the houses from CC. But not everyone got that lucky. Some of them, especially outcasts, were forced to live, or die, in the middle – The Deserts of North Area. Usually when someone got kicked out from the society and traveled trough the desert they really never came back. They died from dehydration, killed by wild animals or other outcasts. However sometimes something else got them first...

The legend says about heartless creatures living on those Deserts. Demons. Monsters killing every human who stand on their way. Elderly call them Sand Apes. Some say they kill because they like taste of human blood, or they do it just for fun. But those are just stories for kids. To scare them, so they won't go far away from their camp and get in any trouble. That's what Bulma thought until one day...

----------------

"I can't believe it!" Yamcha said smiling wide as he grabbed Bulma from behind by waist and pulled close to him. "It's been 9 years since we got together" he kissed her on the cheek "and I still love you so much."

"Yeah," she said with a fake smile "it's great, huh?" She looked up into the skies. The night was quite cool, stars were shining, and so was the moon. The couple was enjoying the view from a dune and celebrating their 9 anniversary.

"Oh no," Yamcha turned her around "what's wrong now? Why are you like this? What happened?"

"Nothing." She smiled to him while embracing hands on his neck.

"Are you sure?" He lifted one eyebrow.

"Yes, I'm sure. It's nothing, really." She turned away from him still smiling and glanced at the desert. _'Nine years...' _Bulma thought to herself _'Nine years ago I was a stupid kid... I was what? 15 years old? I dreamt about a family, a husband, kids… A peaceful life, career, happiness… And now?'_ She sighed _'Now I'm 24 and… And that's not enough. Of course… Maybe someday… But… I want more. I want to see other parts of North Area. I want to see the Deserts and all that dangerous stuff... I love adventures... And I prefer to be in one than here right now... '_. Bulma laid her head on his shoulder.

After moment of silence Yamcha asked her in a whisper "You're thinking about running away again, aren't you?". She looked him in the eyes. She couldn't lie to him.

"Well..."

"Bulma..."

"Please, let's just... not talk about it right now, okay?" she said as she gently pushed him away. "Could you drive me home? It's almost 3 in the morning and I am really tired." Yamcha just nodded. He grabbed a bucket with sand and quenched their camp-fire. He took their stuff and throw it on Bulma's quad. Then he jumped on it and Bulma sat behind him. She clenched to him tightly as they were heading back to the town. All way back home they haven't spoke to each other. When the couple arrived they dismissed silently, sharing a small, soft kiss - they parted.

----------------

Next day Bulma woke up at lunch time. As she opened her eyes they traveled to the clock and she watched it for a minute. Finally she realized what time it was. _'Two o'clock...'_ she thought.

"Goddamn it..." growled Bulma and turned to the other side of bed and faced the wall. Her eyes started to close again when she heard her mother.

"Bulma! Someone's here to see you!" she yelled from the first-floor.

"Great..." she said a little irritated "Be right there mom!"

After forcing herself to get up she went to the bathroom for a quick shower and to got dressed.

About 10 minutes later Bulma went down the stairs only to find Chichi waiting for her.

"Hey girl." She said.

"Hello Chi, what's up?"

"Oh nothing. I'm still lonely and still un-happy, how about you?"

"Nothing unusual really..." answered Bulma while getting her shoes on "Yesterday was our 9th anniversary."

"Yeah, I heard." Said Chichi while looking around.

"Really?" asked the other girl and raised an eyebrow. They both left the CC building and headed to the nearest bar for breakfast.

"Yamcha called me this morning..."

"He called you? You two spoke to each other? Wow, I thought you don't like him..."

"Well, I don't, I still think he's an asshole, but he told me about something distressing that had place yesterday..."

"Oh yeah? And that would be...?" Bulma exactly knew what it was.

"Stupid ideas from your crazy head. Why are you thinking of that again? I thought we went trough it already. What's happening?"

"Nothing's happening Chi and that's the problem!" yelled Bulma angry. "I want to see the whole North Area and maybe someday even the rest of the world! I want to go somewhere! Anywhere, but I won't... I can't stand another day here!" She stopped and grabbed Chichi by her hands. "Please, come with me. There are so many places we could see! I don't want to leave you here, please, come, we'll come back I promise!" Making puppy eyes she hoped for victory in this battle.

"Bulma," Chichi begun "honey, believe me, it's not a good idea—"

"Why not?" her friend cut in.

"Your whole family is here! Your friends, me, Yamcha! Your place is here Bulma! Not in the middle of Nowhere!"

"But Chi—" She tried complain while opening the door to the bar.

"You should at least stay for Yamcha!"

"Maybe I don't want to!"

Silence filled the space between them.

"What do you mean, huh? What do you want?" Chi was the first to speak.

"That's the point Chi! What about what I want?!"

"Bulma…" she looked around "Let's sit down ok? Please?"

The blue haired girl nodded and they took their places at the nearest table. Each got a menu from the waitress and search trough it for something to eat.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Chi asked a little irritated.

"I'm trying to tell you that I want to get out of here. See the world and who knows? Maybe meet someone..." she said the last part quieter.

"What?! What about Yamcha?! I mean, I know he's not the best choice, but you two have been together for 9 years now."

"I know Chi, but I need a change. Besides… I don't love him no more…"

"But Bulma…" Chi sighed "okay… I understand the Yamcha part… But it's dangerous! I don't want you to get hurt!"

"I know..." Bulma said softly "that's why I want you to come with me!" she grabed her friend by shoulders while saying this.

The raven hair girl shook her head gently and smiled.

"Oh Bulma... You're nuts..."

The other girl laughed a little "That's true."

They ordered their meal and ate it without mentioning the subject again for the whole day.

At night Bulma sat on a large window-sill in her room. She looked at the dark blue endless skies. She woke up few minutes ago because of that dream again. In this weird dream everything had changed in her life. Everything was so wild, spontaneous, dangerous. It was so new, but it felt so good and right at the same time... There was some guy. But not Yamcha, oh no, she was sure of that it wasn't him... Every night when the dream came back – Bulma enjoyed every moment of it. This dream became her target.

Right now she had this strange feeling. Something was going to happen, something was going to change, she knew it. But the question was: when?

"God, how I want to get out of here! I know I will leave this place, I just know it... But why can't it be now? I mean, why not? What should I do? I can't just leave like that without saying goodbye... right?" She thought for a second and glanced around the room, then outside the window – to The Desert.

"...or could I..." She whispers the words.

Just few minutes later she was packing her backpack . It was the time. Time to go. To start a new life. New life full of adventures and dangerous stuff... This was her dream and nothing was going to stop her from making it come true. Nothing. There was no way back.

About 20 minutes later Bulma was out the door, starting her old red quad. All packed-up with food, clothes and capsules. It was getting bright, 4:00 in the morning. Engine growled, five seconds - and she was gone. Gone... forever? Who knows...

A/N: Well... It's just the begening. Hope anyone liked it;) Peace. 


	2. Chapter 2: Stranger

Chapter 2. 

It was about 10 P.M. right now and Bulma was tired of her six hours ride. She was far away from home. Very far. From everything. From civilization, family, friends and especially far away from Yamcha.

"At least." she said to herself with a little relief in her voice. He was her first real guy… But at the same time he was too… nice, too sweet… that's not what she searched in her future 'partner'. Unfortunately she needed 9 years to figure it out.

Shivers went trough her spine once again since the beginning of this journey. It scared her a little, but Bulma wouldn't admit it. Never.

She rubbed the goggles on her eyes, it was getting hard to look trough them because of the sand and all the dust in the air. Searching for some shelter in this emptiness. Dressed in a white bikini top, already dirty; jeans shorts, really short ones, and high black military boots, that reached her knees and had no laces, only five buckles. '_What if I met someone? I still have to look good, right?_' she laughed quietly to herself.

Finally Bulma stopped. The sun was high above the earth, it was burning. She took off the goggles and looked around. There was nothing that could gave her some shadow. She reach into her pocket and took out some sort of a radar and a map. The radar showed her the way to the nearest fount.

"Okay... That way!" Pointing she put the goggles back on and drove into the right direction.

After another hour of driving, the place of destiny showed up. She turned the engine off as she saw the mere in the center. Without a second thought she quickly run up, kneeled in front of it and splashed the water against her face. It was cold. Cold because of the palm trees which made some sort of a roof. It was then that she finally saw beauty of this oasis. High palms, white sand, green grass, crystal blue clean water.

"Oh… my… God…" Bulma said quietly delighted by the view. "It's gorgeous!" She squealed happily. "I will definitely spend the night here. Definitely."

She encapsulate a large desert tent, for at least two persons, with big wide bed and of course wardrobe. She thought that because it's her first "free day", away from civilization she could learn something about her new home and the surrounding environment. That was her obsession – Bulma was always prepared. Always. At least that's what she thought.

Walking up to her new bed she sat on it and took out some capsules with old books from her backpack. They were all damaged. Rough yellow pages with big black letters in simple font and that old foul smell. They were published before the war. She slightly caressed cover of the one she already held in her hand and after few minutes of silence opened it and started to read.

----------------

Back in the Capital. Bulma's mom started to wonder where her daughter was, she never sleep this long on the day of work. It was very strange. The elder woman decided to check if she was okay. She made it trough the stairs and opened the door only to see her room in a total mess.

"Oh my..." she whispered. "What happened here? Bulma? Bulma what is---" her eyes widened. Bulma wasn't in her bed, she wasn't in her room. Not even in this house. The blonde woman spotted a piece of paper lying on the bed. _'A note? Oh my God... Did she...'_ She took it. After few seconds she let out a horrible shriek. Mr. Briefs was on the floor in no time.

"What happened?! What's wrong?!" he studied the room "Where's Bulma? Honey...?" he saw his wife. She was terrified. She wanted to say something but she passed out. Before she hit the floor her husband caught her and saw a small note in her hand. It was from his daughter. A good-bye note. She ran away.

----------------

"WHAT!?" Yamcha screamed with disbelief. "What do you mean she ran away!? ... Where!? ... Oh God... Uhhh... I uhh... I don't know. I'll have to go to The Desert and look for her, she shouldn't be far right now. I—what? No! I don't have any other choice! I'm going first thing in the morning! If you want you can come with me! Alright. We'll meet at your door at 5:00. See you then." He hung up the phone. Still in shock after the conversation with Chi he ran a hand down his face, slide on the wall and sat under it. His eyes wide and tears forming in it.

"Why?" he whispered and buried his pale face between shaking palms.

----------------

Bulma stretched her arms. She was a little tired because of the reading and her whole trip, she started hours ago and it was getting dark already.

"I better lit the fire." She got off the bed and went to the edge of her tent. Kneeling she made a circle in sand and prepared the fire-spot. She got up and walked over to the nearest tree for some wood for the fire. She found some palm leafs and pieces of wood she brought over to her spot. The girls light it up with an old petrol lighter. Soon the fire was burning and she got ready for sleep. Searching trough the capsules she found her food stockpiles she made before leaving the house. Unfortunately Bulma forgot one of the most important rules of this Desert…

----------------

Far away from Bulma's camp, two figures were observing the Desert trough a special pair of binoculars.

"See anything?" asked the first man.

"Not yet…" said the other.

"Villagers became more careful than few years ago." The first man started while walking up to his partner who was sitting on a damaged quad. "It's starting to get more and more difficult to get stuff on the Dessert."

"That's exactly why we need to be more precise in searching the Dust." He saw a light far away and smirked. "Got one."

"Really?" the other's smile grew wider.

"Yup. Tomorrow."

"At?"

"At 5 AM, before the sun become hot."

"Alright." The first one said while taking out his Walther P38 out and checked if it's loaded. "Can't wait."

----------------

Bulma eyes shot open suddenly as she heard an engine going off in front of her tent. '_What's that? Who is it?_'. Quietly she moved out of the cover, putting her shoes on and slink to see who it was. She saw two men getting off of their machines and going straight at her, holding guns in their hands. Bulma covered her mouth with a shaking palm '_Oh no, please don't! It can't be happening!_' she shook her head '_No! I have to think straight! How to get out of this! Quickly!_' she looked around the tent searching for something to defend. Voices of her attackers started to get more clear and loud – they were near, just behind the material. Not thinking much now she grabbed a knife and hid it in her high shoe '_Hope this will do it…_'. She jumped behind the bed and observed the entrance.

The two men walked into the tent and looked around. One of them sniffed the air and smirked wildly.

"We have a pleasure to 'work' with a lady here, my friend."

"Now that's something new." The other one smirked and moved ahead "A woman all alone in the Dust? That's a little… dangerous…" he quickly dived his hand behind the bed and dragged Bulma out by her shirt "… isn't it?"

Bulma clenched her teeth and swallowed. She knew there was no sense in struggle. First of all there were two of them, and second they had guns and were definitely much stronger and experienced in the 'desert life' than she was. '_So much for my big adventure, eh?_' She laughed sadly in her head.

The man threw her out into the sand and watched her, while the other one begun to search her stuff. '_Please God… Don't let me die here… not like this!_' she closed her eyes.

----------------

Somewhere in the Dust…

"Not good." Said a man while shaking now empty canteen. "The nearest oasis should be somewhere here…" He looked around and after a minute saw palm trees. There it is." He smiled, jumped on his quad and speed off…

----------------

"Alright! You got what you wanted! Now leave me alone!" Bulma screamed with a knife pointed at her attackers. One was searching trough her stuff while the other got her out of the tent.

"You and I both knew you wouldn't get away anyway, so stop acting like that." One of the man smirked and was getting closer with each word.

"Go away!" her straight thinking has been shoot off now, she was frightened and couldn't control her emotions.

The man finally was close enough to reach her and grabbed Bulma by the neck. Because of the shock she let go of the only tool that could save her. She could feel as she was threw on the ground and one of the men tried to get to her by pinning her with his weight. She closed her eyes…

And then suddenly the other one screamed, and the guy that was sitting on her disappeared. It all happened very quick. '_What's going on?_' Bulma asked herself but was still to scared to look. Then she heard a voice.

"Still alive?"

Cracking one eye open she saw some guy standing above her. It wasn't any of the attackers. He was smiling. The heaven above them making an aura around him.

"G_oku_…?" she whispered quietly.

"I asked if you're okay?" he repeated.

"Y-Yeah."

"Good." Her 'hero' helped her up and the turned to the oasis.

"Thank you." She said with a small smile.

"Not a problem. Oh, and there is your stuff." He pointed on the bag her attackers left behind.

Bulma could now see the man clearly. Tall, handsome, dark hair, maybe 20 or 21 years old. And of course a cute child-like smile.

"Ummm… What's your name?" she asked a bit shyly.

"Kakarotto" she heard after few minutes of silence. "And you are…?"

"Bulma." When he didn't respond she thought of another question "What are you doing here Kakarotto? Are you lost?"

"Me? No! I'm here for some water." He showed her the canteen.

"Okay… Well, where are you from?"

"Around."

"Around?"

"Around." Kakarotto said again.

"What? You mean… you live on the Desert?" She saw him smirk in reply. "You do?!" Bulma squealed happily.

"And what are you doing here?"

"I… I… Ummm…" she looked in other direction.

"Refugee?" Kakarotto took a sip of water.

"No."

"Than… a runaway. Right?"

"Well…" she begun. "I had some problems…"

"Parents?"

"No… with my life. Besides it was my greatest dream to experience a true adventure."

"Though one, aren't you?" Kakarotto laughed "But how were you planning to survive if you can't defend yourself?"

"For your information – I'm a genius!" she titled her head up proudly.

"Really?"

"Of course! I invent things!"

He thought for a moment. "You know how to repair an engine?"

"I _construct_ engines." She smirked.

"Hmmm… And you want to experience a real adventure?"

"Exactly."

He studied her for a moment with a smile. "Do you have any plans?"

"Plans?" Bulma was confused.

"Where are you heading?"

"I… I don't really know…" The last part was almost a whisper, but Kakarotto heard it.

"A lonely fragile girl leaves her home in search for adventures without any fight skills, massive weapons, or even a guy to protect her, with no experience in living on a desert, no hunting skills as well _AND_ in a unknown direction. High chances to survive you got there." He smiled and winked at her mockingly.

"I can take care of myself!" she screamed, her face red with embarrassment.

"Okay, in that case," He attached the bottle of the oasis water to his belt "farewell." He saluted.

When he begun to walk away the girl thought for a moment, biting her bottom lip. '_It's hard to say it for me but… he's right…_' she saw him slowly becoming smaller as he was walking to his quad.

"HEY!" Bulma screamed. He stopped and looked back at her. "CAN I… CAN I COME WITH YOU?"

The guy smiled and waved at her to come. With a big bright smile she squealed and ran to pack her things. '_That's where my adventure begins!_' she thought to herself.

x

x

x

x

----------------

Walther P38 - a 9 mm service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of World War II.

_Goku_ – It's used same way old grandpa Gohan used it. "Ku" is for heaven as we see it.

x

x

x

x

I would like to thank my first (and only right now;D) reader - Morgain Croix for... for reading and for the comment xD Thanks. 


End file.
